The 2006 World Cup? Because you need to know (even if you didn't know to ask) Don't be an ugly American--get up to speed on the beautiful game before the first gooooooooooal!(WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH ...)

The U.S. soccer team is ranked No. 5 in the world. It finished in the elite eight last time around. So there's no possible way the United States can be overlooked this month at the World Cup.

Is there?

"It's kind of fortunate we're in such a hard group," says star midfielder Landon Donovan. "If we'd been in an easier group, it would have been 'Everybody in the world expects you to get out.' Now, everybody expects the Czechs and the Italians. We have to make it happen, pull the upsets."

Think he's exaggerating, giving it that "no one believes in us" business? The 32 teams at the World Cup were drawn into eight groups for pool play. Italy (8:1 odds to win the Cup, according to United Kingdom bookmaker Ladbrokes) and the Czech Republic (33:1) are getting a lot more respect than the United States (80:1). Only newcomer Ghana (250:1) has worse odds in Group E.

However, this is a more accomplished U.S. team than the one that reached the 2002 quarterfinals. Forward Brian McBride now is a proven goal scorer in the English Premier League. Winger DaMarcus Beasley started for consecutive championship teams in the Dutch Eredivisie. Defender Oguchi Onyewu is the centerpiece of a U.S. defense that is more athletic and skilled.

U.S. coach Bruce Arena admits this country still is not the most productive in terms of soccer talent but says the gap has narrowed.

"If you said we were going to play the best 500 Brazilians against the best 500 Americans, we'd lose every time," Arena says. "They only allow 11 in this World Cup. I like those odds better."